263: Chapter 260 The Recruitment of the Two Princes

The King's body had deteriorated to an irreversible state.

The ruler of a kingdom certainly did not lack servants, but the three royal heirs also took turns attending to him. Today was Avril's turn.

Born into the royal family, she had actually never felt what was called familial affection.

In his youth, the King placed great importance on his lineage. Through his tireless efforts over the years, the royal family constantly added new members. At its peak, she had over a hundred siblings.

Things are valued for their scarcity, and this applies to how parents view their children as well.

A person's love for their children is not infinite; it gets spread thin as the number increases.

Even if King of Lake's fatherly love was as heavy as a mountain, once divided among over a hundred children, there wasn't much left.

Moreover, before Avril revealed her talent, she was not highly regarded.

Consequently, the portion of fatherly attention she received was pitifully thin.

Therefore, this so-called caring for her father naturally did not stem from father-daughter affection; it was purely about watching when the King would pass away.

Andre and the Second Prince had the same intention.

Today, Avril planned to visit her junior brother in the woods outside the city after finishing her boring nursing duty.

However, strangely, the King, who had been in a deep coma for many days, suddenly became a bit clearer in the evening.

He held onto Avril and rambled for a long time. It was all incoherent fragments; one second he was talking about how delicious chicken wings were, and the next second it changed to how clothes should be white.

He didn't reveal any meaningful information.

After patiently listening for several hours until the King closed his eyes again, Avril finally stood up and rushed outside the city.

Because she didn't want her junior brother to be disturbed, she always went alone, and this time was no exception.

On the way, she first pondered a doubt she had thought about countless times—what kind of strange illness did the King actually suffer from?

The royal court physicians had exhausted all their skills, but in the end, they only diagnosed that the King was suffering from a serious illness—a condition that anyone with normal vision could see.

Later, Bishop Jarvis from the capital's church stepped in.

After his light-attribute healing magic proved ineffective, he carefully examined the King's body and provided a new direction—the King had been poisoned.

All members of the royal family were in an uproar and strongly questioned this conclusion.

Not to mention what kind of poison could take down a King who was a Saint-level Professional, just based on the King's own daily routine and strength, the poisoner would have had no chance to get close.

Jarvis just smiled and turned back to the church.

His attitude was clear: believe it or not.

"In recent years, I have been collecting information about poisons, and I have never heard of a poison that can work on a Saint-level Professional. There are plenty of curses that can achieve the same effect, though. But... what reason would Bishop Jarvis have to lie to us?"

After leaving the city, Avril walked on the road paved with moonlight. Her deep contemplation lasted until she reached the woods.

Entering the trees, she walked toward the location of the grave, and her thoughts returned to her junior brother.

Perhaps recalling the experience between the two of them, which was not long but especially worth savoring, the corners of her mouth curved up.

She would be there soon.

Although there was no one around and only the faint echo of her own footsteps on the leaves, she still looked around stealthily for a moment before reaching into the wide sleeve of her robe.

After fumbling around for a while, she pulled out a cat ears headband. The back of the ears was made of carefully selected golden fur.

She remembered that Lia's cat ears were this color. When they were in Kas Town, her junior brother always loved to sneak a peek at Lia's cat ears.

Holding the headband in her arms, Avril felt an unusual heat on her face.

Quickening her pace toward the grave, she muttered: "Consider this compensation for not coming for a long time. Just, just this once!"

Shyness spread uncontrollably in her heart, but a few seconds later, it was replaced by fury.

The grave by the tree had turned into a pit, and fragments of the wordless tombstone were scattered all over the ground.

"Who destroyed my junior brother's grave!"

Magic power surged, and her whole body was filled with cold air. The cat ears headband in her arms was instantly covered in a layer of ice, shattering as her body trembled violently.

Avril's reason was burned away by anger, and she frantically searched the surroundings for traces of the destroyer.

Obviously, in the end, she found nothing.

After almost turning the sparse woods upside down to no avail, the anger pent up in her chest was about to erupt.

"I will freeze you into an ice sculpture and display it in the capital square for ten thousand years!"

Her ice-blue eyes, mixed with snow, faintly surged with scarlet, and she turned and sped toward the capital.

...

"Hiss—" In the hotel room, Zhang Mu hugged his arms and shivered, his expression strange as he said, "A Magister catching a cold? Are you kidding me?"

Soren sat on the edge of the bed flipping through documents: "City Lord, what did you say?"

Shaking his head: "You continue."

"Okay." Responding, his eyes fell back to the document in his hand, "The day after tomorrow is the debriefing ceremony. Before that, City Lord, you must decide which heir to the throne you will support."

"Why?"

"Although all three heirs have kept quiet toward you, and the Second Prince has only invited you to a banquet. But not speaking out doesn't mean they will ignore you, especially since you defeated the nemesis of the Lake Kingdom a month ago."

"Let's put this aside for now. I'm thinking if a military conflict breaks out... um, it's unlikely within the capital, so simple personal strength is hard to influence this battle for the throne."

"Yes, this is also where your value lies—the fame gained among the people as the hero who defeated the Lagu Kingdom."

Soren closed the document: "Personal strength cannot play a role at this stage. Now, a hero like you is more useful. And City Lord, I don't deny that they won't attack each other in the capital, but the defeated heir cannot just sit and wait for death."

"If they lose the fight for the throne, will they choose to raise an army?"

"The probability is high."

Zhang Mu rubbed his chin and pondered: "There are also quite a few enemies around the Lake Kingdom. Will the two Grand Dukes sit idly by and watch them cause domestic turmoil?"

"This, I'm not too sure."

"Creak—"

The door was pushed open, and "Zhang Mu" walked in, but with Domit's voice: "Marshal, I'm back."

Raising his hand to lift his Transformation Technique, Zhang Mu asked: "How did it go?"

"It went quite smoothly." Domit took off his coat and hung it on the floor-standing coat rack behind the door, "I went to the church first. With the potion you gave to conceal my aura, he didn't realize I was only a High-level Knight and enthusiastically chatted with me about the customs of Gur City."

Mihe, who was lying on the bed, heard this and slowly sat up: "What customs are there in Gur City to chat about?"

"Uh, mainly about the Silent Forest and the opening of the Sealing Magic Array half a year ago."

"Since you fooled him, don't worry about it." Zhang Mu interrupted them, "What about later?"

"According to your orders, I went to the Second Prince's residence, but he wasn't there. The butler received me. I waited until dark for the Second Prince to return. I discussed Grand Duke Bulova with him until about nine o'clock, and then I said goodbye and returned to the hotel."

"Then it's stable."

Zhang Mu sat happily on the wooden chair at the table: "Hai Ge is missing, and he disappeared near the capital. The church will definitely mobilize to find him. You walked around with my identity; they won't suspect me."

After speaking, he remembered something and asked: "By the way, did you get any results from sounding out the Second Prince?"

"Er..." Domit scratched the back of his head, "Worried about being detected, I didn't dare ask too detailed. After talking for more than three hours, I only know that the Second Prince seems to have established contact with Grand Duke Bulova."

"Like that..." His eyes flickered, Zhang Mu stood up, "The debriefing ceremony is the day after tomorrow. Since there is still tomorrow, I will go..."

"Knock, knock—"

The door was knocked, but not for them, but for the room next door.

Soon, Pavlina's voice came through the door.

"Hello sir, can I help you?"

"Good evening, ma'am. Is City Lord Eji here?"

"He went out early in the morning, and also..."

Mihe used the Swift Travel Technique, and his figure reached the entrance in an instant, lifting his hand to open the door: "The City Lord has already returned."

"Great, I would like to..."

"Looking for me?" Zhang Mu patted his shoulder to signal, and Mihe stepped aside.

Outside the door was a Guard.

Seeing Zhang Mu, he immediately took out a letter from under his breastplate: "His Highness the First Prince invites you to attend his banquet."

Taking it, he nodded: "Okay, please tell His Highness the First Prince that I will arrive on time."

The Guard saluted and left.

Closing the door and returning to the room, Zhang Mu opened the envelope and took out the letter with two fingers: "Heh, the sincerity is much less than the Second Prince."

"What does it say?" asked Soren.

"Polite words." After quickly scanning the letter, he threw it on the table with the envelope, "Inviting me to his palace for lunch tomorrow noon."

"Palace?" Soren showed a thoughtful expression, "He and the only Princess have their own palaces in the royal palace, only the Second Prince... Is this the reason he is not favored by the King?"

"Haha, even if he's not favored, there are only three people in total. The palace is so big, would it lack a palace for him?"

"Then that is..." Soren looked at Zhang Mu with a puzzled expression.

He leaned his butt against the edge of the table, arms crossed over his chest: "According to what Grand Duke Bulova revealed, ten years ago, the King still had over a hundred heirs, right?"

"Yes."

"Ten years later, only three are left." Zhang Mu narrowed his eyes, "Why so many royal heirs died, we don't know, and why the royal family can't find the murderer, we don't know. But one thing is certain..."

Mihe continued: "To be one of the last three survivors in such a cruel environment, he is definitely not as harmless as he appears on the surface."

"Okay, decided." Zhang Mu clapped his hands, "Sleep in tomorrow morning, go to the First Prince's place at noon, and run to the Second Prince's residence again at night."

After speaking, he went straight back to his room to rest.

The next morning.

Just as he had planned, he slept until ten o'clock in the morning before being gently awakened by Palina.

"City Lord, a Guard has come to the hotel for inspection."

"Hmm?"

His sleepy eyes instantly cleared. He climbed out of bed, pushed open the door, and poked his head out.

The hallway had already been taken over by Guards, and there were Guards standing on both sides of every door.

Palina said it was an inspection, but the actual atmosphere didn't feel like it.

The staff in charge of questioning were very polite, and there were respectful smiles on their faces.

After all, those staying in the hotel were City Lords from various places, at the lowest a Magister, an existence capable of establishing a powerful family on their own.

Even the royal family would not interrogate the City Lords like criminals.

And the City Lords, who were confused and came out of their rooms to check why there was a commotion, were also very cooperative with the questioning staff.

Simply because their first sentence was—sorry for the disturbance, a bishop's deputy from the church went missing for no reason last night, and we hope to clear the suspicions of all the City Lords.

If it were the royal family, they might dare to complain, but if it were the church...

The City Lords obediently answered the staff's questions one by one.

The process was very short.

Most of the people had stayed in the hotel yesterday, and those who went out were easily able to find witnesses—the Guards patrolling the streets had all seen them.

This included Zhang Mu.

"I went out early, went to the church first, and then stayed at the Second Prince's residence until about nine o'clock before returning to the hotel."

As he said this, all the City Lords around stared over.

Their eyes were full of clear astonishment—what kind of idiot supports the Second Prince? A prince who doesn't even have his own palace?

Zhang Mu didn't care.

After the Guards withdrew, he took Soren to Andre's palace.

His palace was inside the royal palace, and the entry procedures were relatively complicated.

After a series of checks by two Professionals, they followed Andre's butler into a palace that looked quite simple in appearance and interior decoration.

Walking along the corridor to the end and pushing open a wooden door, Andre sat at the head of the dining table and looked over: "How does it feel to be in the capital for two days?"

"Very prosperous, Your Highness."

The butler guided Zhang Mu to sit in the first wooden chair on Andre's right, and Soren stood behind him.

"Prosperity is only one side of the capital; there are many interesting things."

"Oh?"

"On the way back, City Lord Aiji can go play on Data Street." Andre raised his glass to signal to Zhang Mu.

He picked up the wine glass in front of him to return the gesture, asking: "Data Street? What is the main business? Or are there any specialties?"

"The street surface of that street is paved with crystal floors."

Taking a small sip of the bright red wine, Zhang Mu chuckled a few times: "That is truly..."

"Hmm?"

"Truly makes one feel hot-blooded."

"Hahaha... City Lord Aiji also understands what it means to enjoy life."

"Of course, who doesn't like to enjoy..." Looking up and staring at him, Zhang Mu asked, "To be able to design such an innovative street... Your Highness, do I have the honor of meeting him?"

"Right there." Andre pointed to the door, where the butler stood expressionless.

"So it was you, sir." Zhang Mu looked back, "I greatly admire your mind."

"Overpraised, City Lord."

"No, no, no, I never praise others against my will. When I have time, I hope to have a long talk with Mr. Butler."

"As long as Your Highness permits."

"Hahaha..." Andre laughed heroically, "After the debriefing ceremony is over, City Lord Aiji can come to my palace as a guest for a while."

"I will."

The two continued to dine.

Andre strangely did not show any intention of wooing him, just chatting about the capital, covering every corner.

Lunch ended, Zhang Mu stood up to say goodbye, and he and Soren strode away, with the butler seeing them off.

The palace was only a twenty-minute walk from the main gate of the royal palace, but the butler only returned two hours later.

"Your Highness, they went to the Second Prince's residence."

Tasting the sweet wine, Andre opened his eyes: "A truly disappointing choice."

"He should be comparing the price tags offered by you and the Second Prince."

"I don't like it."

"As you command, Your Highness."